THE CELTIC centre-forward and England hopeful continued to impress at the start of the year - with a total of five league strikes helping him to clinch the January player of the month award.

CELTIC striker Gary Hooper has won January's Clydesdale Bank Premier League Player of the Month award.

The 25-year-old scored five league goals in the calender month and was presented with the award at the club's Lennoxtown training base this afternoon.

Hooper opened the month with the only goal of the game against Motherwell at Celtic Park on January 2 and followed that up with doubles against Hearts and Dundee United.

He currently sits fifth in the SPL's scoring charts, behind Inverness striker Billy McKay, Leigh Griffiths of Hibs, and Motherwell's Michael Higdon - who are all tied on 17 - and former Celtic winger, Niall McGinn, who has 16 for Aberdeen this season.

Hooper has scored 13 league goals this season and a complete total of 23.